The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
It is estimated that in 2014 alone, American consumers spent nearly 10.7 trillion dollars shopping. In this regard, the American landscape is filled with shopping facilities such as grocery stores, outlet malls, mega shopping malls, and smaller strip malls, wherein consumers can view and purchase an endless variety of goods.
In order to aid consumers in handling merchandise, many stores provide known and familiar shopping carts for use by the customer within the store. Such a feature is extremely useful when shopping at a large store such as a grocer, or a big box store, for example, wherein the customer remains within a single facility for a prolonged period of time. Unfortunately, many smaller stores which make up the bulk of outlet centers, strip malls and mega malls, do not provide shopping carts for their customers.
As a result, whenever a customer makes a purchase, he or she must typically carry the purchased item(s) (along with their purse and/or any personal items) from one store to another. Such a process is physically difficult, and can cause the customer to become tired, thus leading to a shortened visit. Alternatively, the customer can walk to their vehicle, deposit their purchased items there, and then walk back to the shopping center. Unfortunately, studies have confirmed that this practice is inherently unsafe, as unsavory individuals often prowl parking lots in search of unattended vehicles laden with newly purchased items.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a lightweight personal shopping cart that is collapsible for easy storage, and which can function to allow an individual to easily and securely transport their purchases from one store to another during a shopping trip without suffering from the drawbacks discussed above.